It's possible to determine whether or not you're going to enjoy this movie just by looking at the trailer. Although in recent times, trailers have been able to disguise whether a movie is terrible by cramming all the good moments into 30 seconds (which is possible, especially in the case of any Freddie Prinze Jr. movie), this movie's trailer is perfectly representative of what you're going to get in "Big Momma's House". If you laughed at the trailer, you'll laugh at the movie.

I usually make it a point to avoid Martin Lawrence movies. Ever since "Thin Line Between Love and Hate", I have treated his cinematic oeuvre like the drunken relative who keeps showing up at our house late at night. I duck behind the sofa and pretend nobody's home. I make excuses so I don't have to see his movies. Excuses such as, "I forgot where the theatre was" or "I forgot that I was supposed to watch TV tonight". But something about Martin Lawrence playing a big fat black woman was just too good to pass up. Not to make any gender or racial stereotypes, but Big Fat Black Women = Comic Gold.

The plot is simple: Malcolm (our man Martin) is an FBI agent who PLAYS BY HIS OWN RULES. He's unconventional, he's crazy, he makes his partner all flustered and whiny. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he's Axel Foley. To catch an escaped criminal, he must go undercover as...."Big Momma". Big Momma's out of town, so Malcolm moves into her house, disguises himself as her (of COURSE he's a master of disguise. What are you? Stupid?) and sets up camp to get information about escaped criminal's ex-girlfriend (Nia Long). Along the way, Malcolm falls in love with ex-girlfriend. Oh, such an unforseen complication. Various wacky events involving flashlights and duct tape ensue.

Martin is genuinely likeable in this movie, both as Big Momma and as Malcolm. Paul Giamatti, as Malcolm's oft-flustered partner, really doesn't have that much to do, but he does it. The various cast members all fare well, but it's Martin's show, and he does a good enough job.

This is the essence of lightweight entertainment. It contains absolutely no logic, it has nothing relevant to say about ANYTHING, and it's got a good share of laughs, both from simple fart jokes and from character-driven humor. Again, if the trailer made you laugh, you'll enjoy this movie. It manages to take those funny moments that you liked in the trailer and stretch them out, but not to the point where they're beating a dead horse. See it on a cheap Tuesday, or on a weekend matinee, and it'll successfully kill a couple of hours that you won't mind giving up.

I still think "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" is the worst movie EVER, though. But I think I'll rent "Blue Streak" just to see if "Line" was a rookie mistake.